Children are assigned a special place of love and honor on Passover eve and that includes asking the “Four Questions.” The youngest child who is able to recite the Four Questions does so, in order that we might fulfill the Biblical injunction to tell our children about the flight from slavery to freedom redeemed by the hand of God; and, should the child not ask, we are told to give him the questions to ask, in order that we might tell him the answers.

מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת?

Ma nishtana halaila hazeh mikol haleilot?

Why is this night different from all other nights?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה. הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ מַצָּה:

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin chameitz u-matzah. Halaila hazeh kulo matzah.

On all other nights we eat both leavened bread and matzah.
Tonight we only eat matzah.

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר:

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin shi’ar yirakot haleila hazeh maror.

On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables, but tonight we eat bitter herbs.

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָֽנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּֽעַם אֶחָת.
הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים:

Shebichol haleilot ain anu matbilin afilu pa-am echat. Halaila hazeh shtei fi-amim.

On all other nights we aren’t expected to dip our vegetables one time.
Tonight we do it twice.

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין.
הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבִּין:

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin. Halaila hazeh kulanu m’subin.

On all other nights we eat either sitting normally or reclining. Tonight we recline.

Answer:

עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ הָיִינוּ. עַתָּה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין:

Avadim hayinu hayinu. Ata b’nei chorin.

We were slaves. Now we are free.




haggadah Section: -- Four Questions
Source: JewishBoston.com, Jewishfreeware.org